Drug Repurposing in Oncology: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials.

Quality pharmacological treatment can improve survival in many types of cancer. Drug repurposing offers advantages in comparison with traditional drug development procedures, reducing time and risk. This systematic review identified the most recent randomized controlled clinical trials that focus on drug repurposing in oncology. We found that only a few clinical trials were placebo-controlled or standard-of-care-alone-controlled. Metformin has been studied for potential use in various types of cancer, including prostate, lung, and pancreatic cancer. Other studies assessed the possible use of the antiparasitic agent mebendazole in colorectal cancer and of propranolol in multiple myeloma or, when combined with etodolac, in breast cancer. We were able to identify trials that study the potential use of known antineoplastics in other non-oncological conditions, such as imatinib for severe coronavirus disease in 2019 or a study protocol aiming to assess the possible repurposing of leuprolide for Alzheimer's disease. Major limitations of these clinical trials were the small sample size, the high clinical heterogeneity of the participants regarding the stage of the neoplastic disease, and the lack of accounting for multimorbidity and other baseline clinical characteristics. Drug repurposing possibilities in oncology must be carefully examined with well-designed trials, considering factors that could influence prognosis.

Mental Wellbeing among Children with Cancer during COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected both physical and mental aspect of people worldwide, especially the high-risk group such as pediatric cancer patients. Children with cancer were considered both clinically and mentally vulnerable during this pandemic. They were also affected by the self- isolation, quarantine, and social distancing policy taken as a respond to public threat. Objectives To evaluate the impact of social distancing and health protocol during COVID-19 on the mental health profile of children with cancer in Indonesia. Methods A cross-sectional study evaluating the mental health of children with cancer during COVID-19 pandemic was conducted in Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia from June to September 2020. An online questionnaire was used to collect demographics of parents and children, children's Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire ( SDQ) score, and parents' Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ). SDQ score consists of five subscales, including the emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer relationships problems and prosocial behavior. Cancer types were grouped into retinoblastoma, nonretinoblastoma (other solid tumors), and leukemia. Results There were 156 valid responses, consisting of 42 patients with retinoblastoma, 34 patients with nonretinoblastoma ( other solid tumors), and 80 patients with leukemia. Pandemic-related lifestyle changes did not significantly impact emotional or behavioral problems. Children with normal total SDQ (odds ratio [OR]: 473, p = 0.001) and emotional scores (OR: 3.19, p = 0.07) had parents with normal SRQ scores (<6). Leukemia patients with shorter diagnosis period had worse hyperactivity score ( p = 0.01). On the contrary, leukemia inpatients had better prosocial scores than outpatients (p = 0.03). More bilateral retinoblastoma patients (p = 0.04) with longer duration of cancer diagnosis (p = 0.03) faced peer problems.

Impact of COVID-19 on breast cancer screening in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS)

Objectives: investigating the impact of the pandemic on breast cancer screening in the Unified Health System, in addition to comparing the data obtained from other countries. Method(s): a quantitative cross-sectional observational study was carried out, with references from the Cancer Information System - SISCAN on the number of mammograms performed from 2014 to 2022 by women in Brazil. Result(s): data regarding mammography in the high-risk population showed a drop of 38, 39% from 2019 to 2020. While in screening mammography, the decline was slightly more significant, at 39.18% in the same period. Regarding diagnostic mammography, the reduction was 33.15%, and in target population mammography, the peak was in 2019 with 2.721.075. On the other hand, the performance of mammography in patients already treated had a smaller decrease of 9.35%. Conclusion(s): there was a significant reduction in the number of mammograms performed in 2019 and 2020, which might lead to a late diagnosis of the disease and a worse prognosis.Copyright © 2023 Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirao Preto - U.S.P.. All rights reserved.

The Effect of CoViD-19 Pandemic on the Hospitalization of a Department of Oncology of an Italian Hospital

In the last years, the entire world has been affected by the SARS-COV-2 pandemic, that represents the etiologic agent of Coronavirus disease 2019 (CoViD-19), which degenerated into a global pandemic in 2020. CoViD-19 has also had a strong impact on cancer patients. Our analysis has been performed at the Department of Oncology of the AORN "Cardarelli” in Naples, collecting data from all patients who had access in 2019–2020. We aim to understand how CoViD-19 affected hospital admissions. The statistical analysis showed that between 2019 and 2020 there was an increase in urgent hospitalizations and a decrease in scheduled hospitalization, probably to decrease the risk of infection, particularly in this category of susceptible patients. Indeed, as recommended by the European Society of Medical Oncology, during the pandemic, it was necessary to reorganize healthcare activities, ensure adequate care for patients infected with CoViD-19. Therefore telemedicine services were implemented and clinic visits were reduced. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Strongman - At Home.

A neurologist reflects on the unintended heartlessness of keeping a patient with terminal cancer in hospital for further tests at a time when families are not permitted to visit. Peripherally involved in a patient's care, he witnesses the suffering brought about by pandemic-related visitation restrictions in the final weeks of a patient's life. In reviewing the course of events with the patient's widow, the physician has many of his assumptions overturned and more completely grasps the consequences of visitation restrictions on hospitalized patients.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Medical Oncology Workload: A Provincial Review.

(1) Background: Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada, with significant resource limitation impacting the delivery of cancer care nationwide. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced additional resource restriction and diversion, further impacting care delivery. Our intention is to analyze the impact COVID-19 on a provincial medical oncology workload and bring attention to the limitations of the current workload metric for oncologists. (2) Methods: All medical oncology patient encounters were extracted and compared, collected by year and encounter type, from April 2014 through March 2022. (3) Results: There was an increase in all patient encounters by an average of 9.5% per year, including during the strictest COVID-19 restrictions. There was an increase in virtual care encounters from 37.9% to 52.1%. (4) Conclusions: Medical Oncology workloads have increased over time and estimates suggest growing demand. Little data exist to inform workforce requirements and actual workload is not captured by the current metric. Though volume of new consults continues to increase, COVID-19 has highlighted additional changes in the delivery of care, likely with lasting impact, little of which are included in the current workload metric.

Primum non Nocere: How to ensure continuity of care and prevent cancer patients from being overlooked during the COVID- 19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread to all countries since December 2019, triggering a pandemic within weeks of the initial outbreak. Doctors were presented with the challenge of having to reimagine the traditional hospital organisation in order to effectively manage patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During the months of the COVID-19 pandemic our Institution was assisted by a call-center (CC) that triaged cancer patients planned for follow-up in our outpatient clinics: C1 (for female cancers), C2 (for gastrointestinal, urogenital, and thoracic tumours), and D1 (for melanoma and for patients with tumours in over 5 years follow up). Data refers to the period between 15 April and 3 July 2020. RESULTS: A total of 1054 patients have been included in our study and 1005 (95%) of the contacts were successful. The analysis showed a majority of female patients (74%) and patients affected by breast cancer (56%). Among the options provided 646 patients (92.4%) opted for online consultancy. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that cancer patients valued technology-mediated follow-up visits mainly during the beginning of the pandemic because patients themselves were afraid to come to the hospital. Although telemedicine has intrinsic limitations, it is important for providing assistance and preventing cancer patients from feeling isolated during an emergency.

The COVID-19 infection control response at a large stand-alone comprehensive cancer center in Los Angeles County.

BACKGROUND: The City of Hope National Medical Center (COH) is the only stand-alone comprehensive cancer center in Los Angeles, a county that was deemed a COVID-19 pandemic epicenter at the height of the 2020 winter surge. The immunocompromised patient population frequently experienced delays in infection control guidelines from local and government bodies due to minimal data available in comparison to the general population. This required COH to make swift, informed decisions for the best interest of the patient population. AIM: Here, we review the comprehensive COVID-19 infection control response conducted at COH within the context of a high-risk patient population, predominately comprised of patients with hematologic malignancies. METHODS AND RESULTS: This infection control response focused on prevention of COVID-19 transmission on campus, COVID-19 testing, and isolation management. These efforts consisted of COVID-19 screening, limitation of personnel on campus, source control, contact tracing, COVID-19 vaccination, establishment of in-house testing and implementation and management of COVID-19 testing. Between January 2020 and September 2021, COH implemented a robust in-house testing program, completed well over 1000 contact traces, ensured COVID-19 vaccinations were distributed to all eligible staff and patients, and established an algorithm for COVID-19 infection resolution, all without compromising the number of hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HCTs) performed, surgical volume, or healthcare-associated standardized infection ratios (SIR). CONCLUSION: Institutional collaboration and attention to infection control was pivotal to minimizing the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on breast cancer screening and early diagnosis / Impacto da pandemia da COVID-19 no rastreamento e no diagnóstico precoce de câncer de mama

RESUMO Objetivo analisar os impactos da pandemia da COVID-19 no rastreamento e de diagnóstico precoce para o câncer de mama. Métodos estudo ecológico com avaliação retrospectiva dos dados contidos no Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde entre os anos de 2016 e 2020. A coleta foi norteada por um roteiro semiestruturado e o impacto da pandemia no rastreamento e no diagnóstico foi realizado por meio da aplicação de fórmula e da comparação com o ano de 2020. Resultados no Brasil, houve uma queda significativa na quantidade de mamografias realizadas durante a pandemia da COVID-19, com diferença de 361.855 de 2016 para 2020. A idade de maior investigação diagnóstica foi entre 50 e 59 anos e a faixa etária com queda expressiva na realização da mamografia foi a de mulheres de 40 anos. Conclusão a pandemia da COVID-19 impactou, negativamente, o rastreamento e o diagnóstico precoce para o câncer de mama devido à redução dos atendimentos. Contribuições para a prática: reforçar a importância de investimentos no campo de políticas públicas diante de um cenário pandêmico para que os protocolos de rastreamento e de tratamento já estejam bem direcionados a fim de garantir uma melhor assistência aos pacientes oncológicos.

ABSTRACT Objective to analyze the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on breast cancer screening and early diagnosis. Methods an ecological retrospective study of data from the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System collected between 2016 and 2020 was carried out. The data collection was guided by a semi-structured script, and the impact of the pandemic on breast cancer screen and diagnosis was established by using a formula and comparing the period of interest to 2020. Results in Brazil, there was a significant drop in mammograms performed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a decrease of 361,855 exams from 2016 to 2020. Most diagnostic investigations were conducted with patients between 50 and 59 years, and there was a significant drop in mammograms in women aged under 40 years. Conclusion the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted screening and early diagnosis of breast cancer due to reduced availability. Contributions to practice: the study reinforces the importance of investing in public policies to face the pandemic scenario so that screening and treatment protocols be well targeted to guarantee better care for cancer patients.

Workforce challenges across Victorian medical oncology services.

BACKGROUND: Cancer incidence is growing, with increasing treatment options and durations. This has led to an increase workload on the current oncology workforce. The global pandemic has increased this pressure further. AIMS: To determine the current medical oncology workforce in Victoria, current shortfalls and future anticipated shortfalls beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A self-reported, cross-sectional observational study of all current adult Victorian cancer services in June 2020 examining workforce, workload and early effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: The current average workload of 242 new patients per full-time equivalent consultant in medical oncology across Victoria. This is higher than optimal to deliver a safe and efficient cancer service. The significant variation in workforce between sites highlights the areas in need of most urgent resource allocation. Use of safe prescribing practises such as electronic chemotherapy prescribing are not universal but urgently needed. CONCLUSIONS: The medical oncology workforce in Victoria is inadequate to meet current and future demands. This needs to be addressed urgently to avoid an adverse impact on cancer measures and quality standards. Better, standardised data collection is needed to allow for ongoing measures of workforce activity. Novel workforce solutions will also need to be implemented in the short and medium term in the face of global workforce shortages.

Loneliness, social isolation, and social support in older adults with active cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a considerable impact on mental health. The social distancing and stay-at-home orders have likely also impacted loneliness, social isolation, and social support. Older adults, particularly those with comorbidities such as cancer, have a greater potential to be impacted. Here we assessed loneliness, social isolation, and social support in older adults undergoing active cancer treatment during the pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mixed methods study in which quantitative data and qualitative response items were collected in parallel was conducted in 100 older adults with cancer. Participants completed a survey by telephone with a series of validated questionnaires to assess the domains of loneliness, social isolation, and social support as well as several open-ended questions. Baseline demographics and geriatric assessments were summarized using descriptive statistics. Bivariate associations between social isolation and loneliness and social support and loneliness were described using Spearman correlation coefficients. Conventional content analysis was performed on the open-ended questions. RESULTS: In a population of older adults with cancer, 3% were noted to be severely lonely, although 27% percent screened positive as having at least one indicator of loneliness by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Three Item Loneliness Scale. There was a significant positive correlation between loneliness and social isolation (r = +0.52, p < 0.05) as well as significant negative correlation between loneliness and social support (r = -0.49, p < 0.05). There was also a significant negative correlation between loneliness and emotional support (r = -0.43, p < 0.05). There was no significant association between loneliness and markers of geriatric impairments, including comorbidities, G8 score or cognition. DISCUSSION: Reassuringly, in this cohort we found relatively low rates of loneliness and social isolation and high rates of social support. Consistent with prior studies, loneliness, social isolation, and social support were found to be interrelated domains; however, they were not significantly associated with markers of geriatric impairments. Future studies are needed to study if cancer diagnosis and treatment may mediate changes in loneliness, social isolation, and social support in the context of the pandemic as well as beyond.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted clinical care and research in Neuro-Oncology?

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the continued delivery of healthcare globally. Due to disease risk, clinicians were forced to re-evaluate the safety and priorities of pre-pandemic care. Neuro-oncology presents unique challenges, as patients can deteriorate rapidly without intervention. These challenges were also observed in countries with reduced COVID-19 burden with centres required to rapidly develop strategies to maintain efficient and equitable care. This review aims to summarise the impact of the pandemic on clinical care and research within the practice of Neuro-oncology. A narrative review of the literature was performed using MEDLINE and EMBASS and results screened using PRISMA guidelines with relevant inclusion and exclusion criteria. Search strategies included variations of 'Neuro-oncology' combined with COVID-19 and other clinical-related terms. Most adult and paediatric neurosurgical centres experienced reductions in new referrals and operations for brain malignancies, and those who did present for treatment frequently had operations cancelled or delayed. Many radiation therapy and medical oncology centres altered treatment plans to mitigate COVID-19 risk for patients and staff. New protocols were developed that aimed to reduce in-person visits and reduce the risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges to the provision of safe and accessible healthcare. Despite these challenges, some benefits to healthcare provision such as the use of telemedicine are likely to remain in future practice. Neuro-oncology staff must remain vigilant to ensure patient and staff safety.

Acceptance, efficacy, and safety of COVID-19 vaccination in older patients with cancer.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 vaccination campaign began in December 2020, in France, and primarily targeted the oldest people. Our study aimed to determine the level of acceptance of vaccination in a population of older patients with cancer. METHODS: From January 2021, we offered vaccination with the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine to all patients 70 years and older referred to our geriatric oncology center in Marseille University Hospital (AP-HM) for geriatric assessment before initiation of an oncological treatment. Objectives were to evaluate acceptance rate of COVID-19 vaccination and to assess vaccine safety, reactogenicity, and efficacy two months after the first dose. RESULTS: Between January 18, 2021 and May 7, 2021, 150 older patients with cancer were offered vaccination after a geriatric assessment. The majority were men (61.3%), with a mean age of 81 years. The two most frequent primary tumors were digestive (29.4%) and thoracic (18%). The vaccine acceptance rate was 82.6% and the complete vaccination rate (2 doses) reached 75.3%. Among the vaccinated patients, 15.9% reported mild side effects after the first dose and 23.4% after the second dose, mostly arm pain and fatigue. COVID-19 cases were observed in 5.1% of vaccinated patients compared with 16.7% in unvaccinated patients. Of the 22 vaccinated patients who agreed to have their serum tested, 15 had antibodies against the spike protein at day 21 after the first dose. CONCLUSION: Our study showed a high acceptance rate of COVID-19 vaccination, with good tolerance in this frail population. These results highlight the benefits of organizing vaccination campaigns at the very beginning of oncological management in older patients. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered May 23, 2019 in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03960593).

Analysis of Bloodstream Infections and Their Antibiotic Sensitivity Pattern (Pre-and Post-COVID Lockdown in an Indian Cancer Hospital): A Record-Based Retrospective Cohort Study

Objectives: In cancer centers, various factors influence the type of organism causing bloodstream infection (BSI). Our premise includes the indirect benefits of hand hygiene of healthcare personnel, masking, and distancing practices during lockdown/post-lockdown period on the type of BSI among cancer patients and their antibiotic sensitivity patterns. Methods: The retrospective cohort study was conducted from November 2020 to July 2021, among cancer patients admitted to Healthcare Global cancer center. Blood culture reports of patients presenting with symptoms of BSI were retrieved and analyzed in the Department of Preventive Oncology, Healthcare Global. Our data were stratified from pre-lockdown (November 2019 to March 24, 2020) and lockdown/post-lockdown (March 25, 2020, to Jul 2020) periods. Results: The proportion of culture positives during the pre-lockdown (Nov 2019 to March 24, 2020) and post-lockdown period (March 25, 2020, to July 2020) are 21.7% and 21.1%, respectively. However, this small difference did not show a significant association with the difference in hand hygiene during the two periods (<80% and ≥80%). In our study, Escherichia coli (23.8%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (10.9 %), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (17.8%) were the most common BSI during the pre-lockdown period. A similar analysis during the post-lockdown period shows a higher prevalence of E. coli (20.7%), Staphylococcus haemolyticus (12.1%), and K. pneumoniae (15.5%). In our study, the isolates showed a greater proportion of resistance (>50%) to Gentamicin, Ciprofloxacin, Tigecycline, and Cephalosporin group of drugs. Conclusion: During COVID times, some of the preventive interventions which were implemented for reducing the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 could contribute to the reduction of BSI in the hospital setting. For the management of BSI, it is imperative to initiate appropriate antimicrobial treatment at an early stage. It is imperative for customizing the antimicrobial stewardship strategies as per the geographic location. © 2022 by Eurasian Journal of Medicine and Oncology.

Breast Radiation Recall Phenomenon After Astra-Zeneca COVID-19 Vaccine: A Case Series.

We report three cases of AstraZeneca vaccine (AZV)-induced radiation recall phenomenon (RRP) in three women who had previously undergone radiotherapy for breast cancer. RRP is a rare complication of vaccination that can mimic the more common pathology of breast cellulitis. Emergency physicians, primary care specialists, and surgeons should be aware of RRP when treating patients in the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) climate.

Disparities in telemedicine during COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Oncology rapidly shifted to telemedicine in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Telemedicine can increase access to healthcare, but recent research has shown disparities exist with telemedicine use during the pandemic. This study evaluated health disparities associated with telemedicine uptake during the COVID-19 pandemic among cancer patients in a tertiary care academic medical center. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study evaluated telemedicine use among adult cancer patients who received outpatient medical oncology care within a tertiary care academic healthcare system between January and September 2020. We used multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression models to determine how telemedicine use varied by patient race/ethnicity, primary language, insurance status, and income level. We assessed geospatial links between zip-code level COVID-19 infection rates and telemedicine use. RESULTS: Among 29,421 patient encounters over the study period, 8,541 (29%) were delivered via telemedicine. Several groups of patients were less likely to use telemedicine, including Hispanic (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.86, p = 0.03), Asian (aOR 0.79, p = 0.002), Spanish-speaking (aOR 0.71, p = 0.0006), low-income (aOR 0.67, p < 0.0001), and those with Medicaid (aOR 0.66, p < 0.0001). Lower rates of telemedicine use were found in zip codes with higher rates of COVID-19 infection. Each 10% increase in COVID-19 infection rates was associated with an 8.3% decrease in telemedicine use (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates racial/ethnic, language, and income-level disparities with telemedicine use, which ultimately led patients with the highest risk of COVID-19 infection to use telemedicine the least. Additional research to better understand actionable barriers will help improve telemedicine access among our underserved populations.

Cancer care in the COVID-19 era and psychosocial impacts on oncology nursing in Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Globally, Brazil has the third highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and the second highest number of deaths related to COVID-19 at the time of writing. Maintaining cancer care has been a challenge for patient safety and for the physical and mental health of oncology nurses. OBJECTIVES: To describe which effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care could already be evaluated and to identify the psychosocial impact on cancer nurses in Brazil. METHOD: Reflective, analytical, qualitative study. RESULTS: Although the Brazilian cancer care policy has reached important achievements in overcoming access barriers to cancer diagnosis and treatment over the past decade, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused losses of timely access to health services for patients with cancer, which has compromised screening, early diagnosis and treatment, and patient follow-up. Oncology nurses have actively participated in the management and assistance strategies during the pandemic. This path has generated an increase in oncology nurses' workload, leading to physical and mental stress and anxiety related to the fear of contagion for themselves and their family. CONCLUSION: The pandemic has affected the care of cancer patients, with the potential to suffer greater losses because of reductions in screening, early diagnosis and treatment, and patient follow-up. In addition to the worsening of the cancer setting, the COVID-19 pandemic has overwhelmed Brazilian oncology nurses, physically and mentally.

Impact of COVID-19 acute respiratory disease on the risk factors attributed to cancer patients.

Communicable diseases (CDs) based on Health organization reported are one of the most threat for human health. SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) is the main pandemic that nowadays it threatens the health of people around the world, especially cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of COVID-19 acute respiratory disease (COVID-19 ARD) on risk factors related to health of cancer patients. A review study of was conducted to base on results of various studies published. Nine hundred and eighty articles were retrieved based on various databases: Science Direct, Taylor & Francis, Google Scholar, Elsevier, PubMed and BMJ. In this study, were used the results of research on COVID-19 and its effects on risk factors attributed to cancer patients. The literature signs a notable undesirable affect from COVID-19 on risk factors attributed to health of cancer patients. Result showed that transfer SARS-CoV-2 viruses can endanger health of cancer patients due to interruption of the disease treatment process and increase number of deaths between in this patents. The survey requires the need to act creating healthy conditions to continue the treatment process and vaccination coverage among these patients in order to decrease the transmission of COVID-19 acute respiratory disease and increase the success rate of cancer treatment.

Using Instagram to Enhance a Hematology and Oncology Teaching Module During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the rapid expansion of novel tools for digital medical education. At our university medical center, an Instagram account was developed as a tool for medical education and used for the first time as a supplement to the hematology and medical oncology teaching module of 2020/2021. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the acceptance and role of Instagram as a novel teaching format in the education of medical students in hematology and medical oncology in the German medical curriculum. METHODS: To investigate the role of Instagram in student education of hematology and medical oncology, an Instagram account was developed as a tie-in for the teaching module of 2020/21. The account was launched at the beginning of the teaching module, and 43 posts were added over the 47 days of the teaching module (at least 1 post per day). Five categories for the post content were established: (1) engagement, (2) self-awareness, (3) everyday clinical life combined with teaching aids, (4) teaching aids, and (5) scientific resources. Student interaction with the posts was measured based on overall subscription, "likes," comments, and polls. Approval to conduct this retrospective study was obtained from the local ethics commission of the University Medical Center Goettingen. RESULTS: Of 164 medical students, 119 (72.6%) subscribed to the Instagram account, showing high acceptance and interest in the use of Instagram for medical education. The 43 posts generated 325 interactions. The highest number of interactions was observed for the category of engagement (mean 15.17 interactions, SD 5.01), followed by self-awareness (mean 14 interactions, SD 7.79). With an average of 7.3 likes per post, overall interaction was relatively low. However, although the category of scientific resources garnered the fewest likes (mean 1.86, SD 1.81), 66% (27/41) of the student participants who answered the related Instagram poll question were interested in studies and reviews, suggesting that although likes aid the estimation of a general trend of interest, there are facets to interest that cannot be represented by likes. Interaction significantly differed between posting categories (P<.001, Welch analysis of variance). Comparing the first category (engagement) with categories 3 to 5 showed a significant difference (Student t test with the Welch correction; category 1 vs 3, P=.01; category 1 vs 4, P=.01; category 1 vs 5, P=.001). CONCLUSIONS: Instagram showed high acceptance among medical students participating in the hematology and oncology teaching curriculum. Students were most interested in posts on routine clinical life, self-care topics, and memory aids. More studies need to be conducted to comprehend the use of Instagram in medical education and to define the role Instagram will play in the future. Furthermore, evaluation guidelines and tools need to be developed.